Almost Half of Brits think there are Too Many Gay People on TV From Heartstopper to EastEnders The Graham Norton Show to Drag Race
MyLondon LGBT+ reporter Matt Spivey writes, “Shouldn’t we be lifting up LGBT+ TV stars, not picking on them for their moment in the spotlight”. Whether it is daytime TV, soaps, chat shows, reality TV, news bulletins, or sports pundits, British TV has allowed the rise of talent from all walks of society.
Too many gay guys on their screen
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But some people think they have too many gay people on their screens – here’s why they’re wrong. According to a recent YouGov poll, 44 percent think LGBT+ people are taking up too much screen time. While 45 percent say there are too many minority communities in general.
LGBT+ people on our screens for decades
From Graham Norton to Yasmin Finney (of Heartstopper fame), Ian McKellen to Gok Wan, LGBT+ people have been on our screens for decades and there’s never been a better time for queer stars to flourish. British TV is at its best when the image projected on the screen can offer a reflection of the real world. whereby all viewers can see themselves involved in the storylines of soaps, comedies, and dramas or see people like themselves take center stage.
Hide Your Sexuality Behind Closed doors
The suggestion that any social group is ‘too much’ on TV comes from undisguised resentment of that particular group. It’s no wonder that after decades of criminalizing and then persecuting gay people until they hid their sexuality behind closed doors, people are obsessed with gay representation on television. Don’t forget the outrage over EastEnders airing the soap’s first gay kiss in the 90s.
But what should it matter what our screen stars do in their personal lives? Well, it’s not really, but when LGBT+ proud people are providing a platform and offering representation to a community that has survived hundreds of years of prejudice and oppression, should we be raising them? Shouldn’t, shouldn’t choose them for their moment in the limelight?
In recent years we’ve seen breakthroughs in LGBT+ representation from the first same-sex couples on Dancing on Ice and Strictly Come Dancing, the first drag queen character on EastEnders, and the first trans queen to appear on RuPaul’s Drag Race UK, but right now There’s also a lot of representation to be had.
Sex Education, Heartstopper, and Lives of Queer People Like Feel Good
With the rise in popularity of shows centered around the lives of queer people like It’s a Sin, Sex Education, Heartstopper, and Feel Good, there are plenty of reasons to celebrate the wave. Which have been created after years of trailblazing stars breaking up. Identifies openly as gay.
